Failed Residency Application for Jan 2019

Here is the application information as submitted, for reference. Even though I didn’t make it this year I am excited to see the projects and the work that is produced! They had a high level of applicants. Plus in general they have lots of great resources and writing on the website anyway https://simplysecure.org/

Application

I am undertaking a part time practice based PhD to create a digital prototype platform and manifesto to enhance knowledge building around design education practice. The main goal of the platforms design is to extend collaborative learning and communities of practice from the physical across to the digital. The platform will be free software and decentralised.

The platform will be designed to support a collaborative interface and workflow that grows and changes through human input. A fluid, adaptable tool, driven by the community of practice. This tool would replace the institutional controlled Learning Management System (such as Blackboard / Moodle)

The LMS (Learning Management System), the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) or MLE (Managed Learning Environment) are at the heart of all educational institutional mechanisms and are intended to support teaching and learning. However these platforms result in the support and extension of the administrative needs of an institute. They also support the outdated mode of Sage on the stage, tutor as expect process, rather than work with the Learning network and the power of the group they do not encourage collaborative knowledge building and creative connections.

Technology is ever present in the studios and classrooms of education and like a number of sectors we are at a point where we must decide if the future model for education is surveillance and data akin to a proximate Silicon Valley model or if Edutech has a future based around open practice, specific pedagogy and the needs of the tutors and students?

I believe we need to make the alternatives to the surveillance capitalism we see across technology and my focus is on a platform for knowledge building around practice based design processes, linked to design thinking and creative investigation.

I currently run the BA (hons) Games Design & Art programme at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton and am about to start the building phase for my PhD after an initial research phase. I have the basis for the platform set up utilising primarily open web tech including Vue.js and Couch.db, next steps revolve around data decentralisation, full encryption, data visualisation and data manipulation, user testing with design students

A short explainer of the research can be seen in this video here. Youtube

A fundamental factor for the project is the decentralisation of knowledge building. The platform would allow users to control and share their data via the resources being distributed and decentralised. All the current systems for education are institutional paper-replicating, top down, folder based, centralised hierarchical approaches or students own digital Personal Learning Networks (PLN) silos and does not work for knowledge sharing and building and is outdated.

My current research question is :

How could we undertake collaborative knowledge building within design education using human centred design processes to create digitally augmented ways of managing and engaging with knowledge?

I want (and need) to build a community around the project itself and to get more points of view and contribution to support the project. I am also keen to meet other people working towards similar ambitions to build better technology for people.